Mexico halts Coatzacoalcos oil shipments due to Dean

MEXICO CITY, Aug 21 (Reuters) – Mexico suspended crude shipments from its Coatzacoalcos port in the state of Veracruz as powerful Hurricane Dean approached the area, a port official said Tuesday.

“There were two shipments scheduled (for Tuesday) but they have been suspended,” said port official Juan Jimenez, referring to state oil monopoly Pemex.


The other two of Mexico’s three major oil ports — Dos Bocas and Cayo Arcas — were closed on Monday as the hurricane hit Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

The three ports ship the bulk of Mexico’s crude exports, which are mostly to the United States.

Mexico’s main oil producing region is bracing for the arrival of the Category 3 storm, which slammed into the Yucatan peninsula early on Tuesday and was expected to pass into the Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane.

Reuters